In this unit students gain an understanding of the unstable nature of the earth. They study a range of hazards including earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis. There are eight key questions in this unit.
- The Earth’s crust is unstable, especially at plate margins.
- Unique landforms occur at plate margins.
- People use these landforms as a resource and adapt to the conditions within them.
- Volcanoes are hazards resulting from tectonic activity. Their primary and secondary effects are positive as well as negative. Response change in the aftermath of an eruption.
- Supervolcanoes are on a much bigger scale than other volcanoes and an eruption would have global consequences.
- Earthquakes occur at constructive, destructive and conservative plate margins.
- The effects of earthquakes and the responses to them differ due to contrasts in level of wealth.
- Tsunamis are a specific secondary effect and can have devasting impacts in coastal areas.